My Healing Buddy - Newt

Good afternoon, Steemians. Today marks 11 days post-op for my hip orthoscopy.

I have been using the continuous positive motion machine [CPM] everyday for at least 4 hours a day. Yesterday was day two of physical therapy in Erie. I am slowly recovering.

For those who don't know, or didn't read my previous post, I was diagnosed with Femoroacetabular Impingement [FIA].

After a steriod injection, nine physical therapy visits and two orthopedic doctor appointments, it was determined that I have FIA.

This condition presented as severe sciatica pain and severely limited my activities since a car accident in 2000. Of course, I blame the car accident. The surgeon advised that the accident just brought this genetic issue to the Forefront. In layman's term, I have extra bone on my hip and a misshapen femoral head causing causing the labral tear and throwing my balance off.

My advice to anybody reading this post who is currently experiencing unexplained pain or ongoing pain, if you are able to reach out for medical assistance, go see a specialist sooner than I did.

I did go many years ago to an orthopedic doctor who couldn't figure out why I had neuropathy in my right foot or ongoing sciatica bouts. I was misdiagnosed and he set me up with a pain specialist with the intention of cutting the nerve in my right foot to prevent the neuropathy. I refused that treatment because it was a permanent solution for a problem they could not even diagnose and I completely lost faith in the medical field. I hired a trainer and with his help I was able to regain lot of my mobility with exercise, but there were frequent relapses.

Fortunately, a work friend referred me to my current surgeon who finally diagnosed the real reason for my pain and began correct treatment.

This surgery is a preventive measure. Already the arthritis has started in my right hip. Having the surgery now may prevent me from having to have a hip replacement soon. I'm all for not having that done yet at age 56. The arthritis in my right hip would have only gotten worse had this correction not taken place. A lot of work was done to correct the impingement.

That being said, I spent more time in bed than I ever wanted to, and my heart goes out to everyone who has issues and problems that keep them restricted or laid up in any way.

My convalescence is temporary, but the friend of mine, Robin, who referred me for the surgery and had the same surgery a week before me was in the ER last night because they suspected a blood clot in her hand. I touched base with her on Facebook Messenger today. Fortunately, she only has an infection in her hand and antibiotics should heal that up for her nicely.

My thoughts go out to her, this recovery is no easy matter. I feel like I owe her a debt for referring me to this current doctor who actually knows what he's doing it has me on the road to feeling better and being more active again.

Here's a picture of my constant companion during my recovery. Newt is my champion and spends the day in my bedroom with me just checking up on me. I woke up at about 6:30 in the morning to this image. Photo taken on my Galaxy Note 8 send edited in Snapseed because it was really dark

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